Google No Kids

Google's terms of service, while ignored by the vast majority of users, contain a pretty shocking clause: Under 18's are not permitted to use any of Google's Web properties. That's right, kids--no search, YouTube, Gmail, news, or images.

Under 18s wishing to watch YouTube videos of skateboarding dogs, or perform research for a school project will have to go elsewhere--Ask.com or Microsoft's Live.com search, perhaps. The message from Mountain View seems clear: We don't want your (underage) business.

I mean, come on, they're not like, some inferior forms of life, it's really no different than them trying to tell certain races not to use google. Yes, there is risk involved that perhaps the kids might stumble upon porn, but really, google is by far the best search engine for class projects and such, most other search engines just plain suck.

Oh, and why shouldn't they be able to google their own name? There may be sites that unbeknownst to them have pictures or something of them, of even information that could cast a poor image on them, they have every right to make sure nothing like that is happening and if they do find something like that, should be able to, (with parental aid of course) sue the crap out of whoever it is that is posting things about them--we all have the right to protect our good names.

Makes sense that they would protect themselves. If U18s are looking up things that their parents would prefer they didn't they can't go after Google. I'm sure they have no intention of actually enforcing it.